Starting the journey of complementary feeding with your little adventurer is, without a doubt, an exciting moment. Your little adventurer will no longer drink only breast milk or, if applicable, formula, but will also begin trying a bunch of new flavors and textures while continuing to train their taste buds. Remember that during the first year, it is not recommended to cook with salt, sugar, or honey, nor to offer large fish—such as tuna or swordfish—, large quantities of leafy green vegetables , whole nuts—yes to ground nuts or nut butter spread on fruit or bread—and cow's milk and its derivatives.

To help you enjoy this new stage to the fullest—and because watching your little one eat is quite an experience!—we’ll suggest some healthy recipes that can excite your baby from six months onward and are suitable for Baby-led Weaning.

1. Rice balls with vegetables

What you need:

• 1/2 cup of rice

• 1 cup of vegetable broth or water

• 1 carrot

• 2 broccoli florets

• Spices to taste

How to do it:

1. Soak the rice for a few hours to release the starch, then cook it with vegetable broth or water, following the package instructions.

2. While the rice is cooking, prepare the vegetables: heat water in a pot and steam the carrot and broccoli until tender. Five to eight minutes may be enough.

3. Then, cut the cooked vegetables into small pieces and, when the rice is ready, mix everything together.

4. Shape the mixture into small balls. You can add a little spice to help your little one try new flavors. For example, add a pinch of oregano or basil.

5. And that's it! Offer your baby the little balls once they’re not too hot, and let them explore at their own pace. You’ll see they’ll bring them to their mouth when they’re ready.

2. Simple falafel

What you need:

• 1 cup of dried chickpeas

• A little fresh cilantro

• 1 small bunch of fresh parsley

• 1 small onion

• Virgin olive oil

How to do it:

1. For this recipe, you’ll need to plan ahead and soak the chickpeas the night before. Then, drain them and dry them well. You can also use pre-cooked chickpeas without additives.*

2. Next, add the chickpeas to a large bowl along with a little cilantro, fresh parsley, and a finely chopped onion.

3. Blend with a hand blender or food processor until you get a smooth mixture.

4. Shape into small balls and fry them in olive oil. As you remove them, drain on paper towels. If you prefer not to use olive oil yet, bake them until they turn golden.

5. Let them cool a bit, and enjoy!

* If you use pre-cooked chickpeas, remember to rinse them beforehand.

3. Zucchini pancakes

What you need:

• ½ zucchini

• 1 egg

• ½ cup of oat flour

• Virgin olive oil

How to do it:

1. Peel and chop the zucchini. Then, sauté it in a pan with a little virgin olive oil. Try to let it release all its water before moving on to the next step.

2. When it’s ready, let it cool slightly, then mix it with the egg and the oat flour (you can also use rolled oats) and blend until you get a smooth batter.

3. Heat a skillet with a little oil. When hot, spoon in some batter to form a pancake. Cook until golden brown, then flip. Repeat with the remaining batter. You’ll get approximately 4 or 5 pancakes.

Note: you can vary the vegetables and, for example, use carrot, broccoli, or pumpkin.

4. Eggplant meatballs

What you need:

• 1 eggplant

• 1 onion

• Bread crumbs

• An egg

How to do it:

1. Peel the eggplant and cut it into small pieces.

2. Heat a pan with a little olive oil, finely chop the onion, and sauté it.

3. Beat the egg, then add some chopped parsley.

4. Mix the vegetables, the egg with parsley, and a little bread crumbs until you get a manageable dough.

5. Shape into small balls and place them on a parchment-lined tray. Bake at 180º until golden.

6. Remove them and let them cool on a plate before offering them to your little adventurer.

5. Bean Burgers

What you need:

• 1 cup of cooked beans

• 1/3 cup of oat flour or whole spelt flour

• 1 grated carrot

• Oregano

How to do it:

1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mash them with a fork. If you prefer, you can blend the mixture, but try not to make it too liquid. If that happens, add a bit more flour.

2. Shape into small burgers and cook them in a skillet lightly coated with extra virgin olive oil, or bake them in the oven.

3. Done! As always, let them cool before your little adventurer enjoys them.

Recommendations for BLW

Although the BLW method is based on giving your baby autonomy, always stay close to help prevent accidents, and cut food into pieces your baby can easily chew. In addition, it’s important to assess whether your little adventurer is ready for this stage before you begin. Some signs are:

• Sits alone

• Has good hand-eye-mouth coordination and knows how to bring objects to their mouth

• Knows how to chew even without teeth, using their gums

• Shows interest in food

It’s also a good idea to follow the guidance provided by your pediatrician or BLW advisor, as many of these recipes can be made with other ingredients, such as beef or chicken. We’ve simply shared a few ideas.

Finally, be very patient! You’ll see that your little adventurer will first want to get familiar with the food before bringing it to their mouth. Join them on this new adventure with lots of love and respect. In our article, we share some recommendations that will surely be helpful.

In this video, we show you how to cut (and how not to cut) food for safe BLW.